KeithAug

I think I recognise the picture immediately above. I know that this may be a little late but to answer the question "how to bend hard brass"? Brass is quite easy to bend but needs to be treated as follows. Heat the area you want to bend using a blow torch until it glows cherry red. Let the brass cool down to room temperature (no need to quench it). Now start to bend the brass (you may need to create a jig to bend it round) As you work the brass it will start to harden again - this is called work hardening. Repeat the process of heating to cherry red followed by cooling - the brass will soften again and you can continue bending. Repeat the heating / cooling / bending process until the desired shape is achieved.

Yes a nose job often improves the look. Craig - The hull is looking very smooth and blemish free - clearly you build process worked very well. I guess from your comments she is going to be both a working and display model. I hope she doesn't get bashed up during playtime.

Exciting Rob. She is a very handsome vessel but looks like quite a challenge. I'm sure you will make a treasure out of her.

Beautiful work Andy and very impressive building frame.

You would be welcome Keith.

Wonderful Eberhard. I liked the crew pictures so much I even made my wife look at them. Even she was impressed.

Keith - as we have to keep you occupied for a long time we should insist you make it a working model.😬

Very nicely done.

Thank you for commenting Rick, Eberhard, Druxey and Ian. And thanks to all who have liked or visited my work. A very brief update with little to show but a major milestone achieved. Having completed the bulwark planking I moved back to the keel and attached the last few planks. More potential notice board pin missiles, nervously in use. And then thankfully that was that. The next step is one of extensive sanding to get the hull smooth and sleek. I still have a lot of work to do on the hull but at least it feels like the worst is nearly over. That's all for now friends.

Nils - pity about that. I suspect once on display it won't be called on to function very often.

Then you had better make it last a few decades. No early retirement for you.

Looks fascinating Keith - I will be following. Have you agreed the project with Ole Bob?

Very nice - are the brass parts Photo etched? The white metal parts look like castings did you do the casting.

Looking good Nils. Did the gravity davits work Ok?

Well worth the effort young Eric. She looks just the job. What next?

Ole Bob seems to be on the brink of taking over a certain build log and becoming a valued mentor for a lot of builders. Go go Bob.

I hope Bob has a long and rewarding retirement. Does he have a bucket list? Maybe he would like a world cruise or a trip across the Great Lakes and down the St Lawrence to the sea. Does he have a canoe?

Gary - thank you for the bunker plate tutorial. I am sure that I will make use of that technique at some time. You paint work is up to its usual excellent standard.

Well that's another week gone by. The weather was bad which should have assisted progress but somehow I just ended up plodding along. Firstly three shots showing progress as of a week ago. I keep doing a bit more sanding between planking runs in the hope that this will reduce the sanding marathon when the planking is complete. A few planks later and I was at the last plank before the garboard plank. I then put the next plank in place followed by a bit more sanding of the mahogany block insert at the skeg. This area was looking like it was shaping up well. Then rather than fitting the garboard plank I decided to concentrate on planking over the 1/32 ply at the bulwarks. Those of you with long memories will remember that the plan was to plank over the 1/32 ply with 1/32 thick mahogany planks to bring the thickness up to 1/16" to match the planking thickness for the rest of the hull. But first I had to sort out the mis-shaping of the plywood at the bow. Here is the photo reminder of the error from earlier in the build log. Sorting the problem out involved cutting away the base board to get at the incorrectly faired frame. This allowed me to get a craft knife in to locally pare back the frame. Also some how I hadn't quite left a 1/32 step to take the thinner bulwark planks so I took a sharp chisel to the ply to remove one lamination where it abutted the first full thickness mahogany plank. Then it was just a case of over planking the plywood at the bulwark. And finally the bulwark planking is completed. So now only the garboard plank to fit. Sometimes I look to heavens for inspiration and occasionally I am rewarded. This is a new take on the workshop floor "black hole" problem. At some point an elastic band ripped this pin out of the building board and fired it into the ceiling. Fortunately the trajectory avoided important organs such as eyes. A timely warning me thinks!😬 That's all for now folks.

Yes indeed so. I once thought I would move back when I retired but the kids (and grandchildren) both live down here so I am stuck.

There you go man, keep as cool as you can. Face piles And piles Of trials With smiles. It riles them to believe That you perceive The web they weave And keep on thinking free. Unfortunately Eric is only in his 40's so probably hasn't heard of the Moody Blues. 🙂

It all looks magnificent Roel, I do worry however that you have a bit of a pipework obsession.

Thank you Gary - but the sanding needs to get it really smooth without rubbing through. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating and I'm not counting my chickens before they are hatched. Tom - Sometimes I have a senior moment when my natural Yorkshire miserliness fails me. Nils - thank you.

How did you get to be so young? I'm jealous again!

Cold-hearted orb that rules the night Removes the colours from our sight Red is grey and yellow white But we decide which is right And which is an illusion. Also applicable to black and white photos! The last line of the previous verse is also pertinent:- "Senior citizens wish they were young". 🙁